CATHEDRAL — Statik Majik (review)

EP · 1994 · Stoner Metal

4/5 · 2024-09-20
UMUR

"Statik Majik" is an EP release by UK doom metal act Cathedral. The EP was released through Earache Records in April 1994. It bridges the gap between the band´s second- and third full-length studio albums "The Ethereal Mirror (1993)" and "The Carnival Bizarre (1995)". The vinyl version of the EP features three new original compositions, while the CD version features "Midnight Mountain" (from "The Ethereal Mirror (1993)") as a bonus track. Columbia Records re-released "Statik Majik" in August 1994 with the title "Cosmic Requiem" and replaced "Midnight Mountain" with "A Funeral Request - Rebirth". The latter is a bonus track from the Japanese version of "The Ethereal Mirror (1993)". "A Funeral Request - Rebirth" is not a totally new track though as the original version (titled "A Funeral Request (Ethereal Architect)") is found on the band´s debut full-length studio album "Forest of Equilibrium (1991)".

As mentioned above the "Statik Majik" (CD) version of the EP features 4 tracks. A bit more remarkable maybe, is the fact that the total playing time of the EP is 40:20 minutes. So the EP features album length quantity, which is in large part due to the 22:42 minutes long "The Voyage of the Homeless Sapien", which was by far the longest and most progressive structured track in the band´s discography at that point. It wasn´t until 2005 that the band released an even longer track in "The Garden" (26:58 minutes long) from "The Garden of Unearthly Delights".

Stylistically the material on "Statik Majik" is doom metal with strong psychedelic stoner doom leanings. Anyone familiar with the sound of the material on "The Ethereal Mirror (1993)" won´t be surprised by the overall musical direction. "Midnight Mountain" is one of the band´s more light weight stoner doom metal tracks featuring hand claps and "uhs" and "ahs" from lead vocalist Lee Dorrian. It´s an energetic and fun song, although it´s still reasonably heavy. "Hypnos 164" is one part twisted and dark doom metal and one part psychedelic and oddball stoner doom, with Dorrian performing even more weird and freakish vocals and lyrics. "Cosmic Funeral" follows the same formula with a slow and doomy first part and then an explosion of darkly psychedelic synths and heavy riffs, and Dorrian performing if possible even weirder vocals and lyrics than he does on "Hypnos 164".

Although all mentioned tracks are high quality material, it´s the 22:42 minutes long "The Voyage of the Homeless Sapien" which is the real attraction here. A strongly psychedelic flavored and progressive structured stoner/doom metal song, featuring many different sections, atmospheres, and textures. If you hadn´t noticed before (and you should have), it shows in abundance how adventurous Cathedral are.

"Statik Majik" features a dark and heavy sounding production job, and the organic and raw sound suits the material well. You can hear all details in the mix, but it´s still heavy and dark sounding enough to satisfy a doom metal fan. Upon conclusion it´s one the most different and unique sounding releases in the band´s discography (in close competition with the "Hopkins (The Witchfinder General)" EP from 1996), and it´s through and through a high quality release fully deserving a 4 star (80%) rating.